Can't Wait to Retire?

I hate looking for a job! I can’t wait till I retire! It’s a long way off, though. How can I get through the next couple of decades?

Answer:

Oh, please, don’t wish your life away!

Very few people enjoy job search, so you aren’t alone. And it can take a long time. And many employers don’t get back to you promptly, if at all. And it involves a whole different skill set than you used on the job. And … and … and ….

Here are a few thoughts that might help you to focus on something a little more positive:

What do you really want to do? If your first thought is “kick back on a beach somewhere,” be honest with yourself. Would that really be fun to do every day for the next thirty years? Wouldn’t it get old after a while? If you’re a parent, is that the kind of example you want to set for your children? Wouldn’t you rather make the contribution to the world that you were created to make?

How could you do that thing you really want to do? What stands between you and that goal? If you need training, Workforce Services may be able to help you with that: clarifying the goal, identifying the needed courses, possibly even paying for tuition and materials.

Finally, what have you been doing to look for work? Are you getting calls back in response to your resume? Are you getting interviews? Any job offers yet?

If no one calls you about your resume, there may be something on it that shouldn’t be. Or maybe it’s missing something that should be there. Is it customized to the job you’re applying for? Does it have lots of keywords? Is it formatted correctly for the Applicant Tracking Systems? To see what the trouble might be, attend the FCWS Complete Resume Workshop (see the Calendar of Events), then see our Resume Doctor.

Suppose you’re getting interviews but no offers: you may need to brush up your interviewing skills. Consider going to our Interview Success seminar and doing a Professional Practice Interview.

If all you do is sit in your house and fill out online applications, no wonder you hate it. Three quarters of all job seekers find their new jobs by way of networking: talking to people, getting to know them, making themselves known to others. It can be a lot more fun, and is known to be more effective.Life is too short as it is.

Whatever else you do, look for a job that you consider worth doing. Find what joy you can in each day, whether it’s playing with a pet, reading a good book, calling a friend or just looking out the window. Don’t wish your life away!

About the Author

Beth Davis-Reinhold

Beth Davis-Reinhold is an instructor at Frederick County Workforce Services, where she has worked for over 20 years. She teaches job search seminars and basic computer skills. She is a Certified Professional Resume Writer, and is Internet and Computing Core Certified (IC3). Beth has been a member of Toastmasters International for more than 15 years, and is an Advanced Communicator Silver. A graduate of Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania, Beth has also studied American Sign Language for many years. In addition to many sundry projects for FCWS, Beth writes its “Ask the Career Coach” blog.